Driftwoods will be available from Tompkins Square, ranblake.com, and other retailers. Although you’ll have to wait another month to pick up a copy, you can stream or download “I Loves You, Porgy” here.

Ran’s new album, Driftwoods, will be released by Tompkins Square Records on January 27. The album of solo piano is Ran’s tribute to his favorite singers, with interpretations of songs popularized by Billie Holiday, Mahalia Jackson, Hank Williams, Nat King Cole, and others.

The track list is “Driftwood,” “Dancing in the Dark,” “Lost Highway,” “Cancao do Sol,” “No More,” “I Loves You, Porgy,” “Strange Fruit,” “Pawnbroker,” “There’s Been a Change,” “Portrait,” “I’m Going to Tell God,” and “You Are My Sunshine.”

Jonah Kraut, Ran’s longtime friend and former assistant at the New England Conservatory, produced the album, Ran’s 36th since his 1961 debut. It includes liner notes by Brian Morton, editor of Jazz Review, UK and the Penguin Jazz Guide.

We hope you have a great holiday season. As always, you can reach Ran directly at ran@ranblake.com, and you can read back issues here.

We’ll see you in January.
–Steve
Vol. 4, No.12